Victim Witness Assistance Center

Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center

Director

Diana McPartlan

Assistant Directors

Jennifer Cudworth
Beth Raub

Mission Statement

The San Luis Obispo County Victim Witness Assistance Center works to reduce the trauma, frustration and inconvenience experienced by victims, witnesses, and family members affected by crime. We do this by providing a wide variety of services to victims of crime and their families, in addition to supporting victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice process. As part of our mission, we inform victims of their constitutional and statutory rights under California law, and how to exercise those rights.

Each year, the County Board of Supervisors designates the Victim Witness Assistance Program as the major provider of comprehensive services to victims and witnesses in San Luis Obispo County.

Director’s Message

For many years, victims of crime were overlooked, ignored and often reduced to the role of a “witness” in the criminal justice system. During the 1970’s, victim activist groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters gave crime victims a new voice that was heard by policy-makers and legislators. In California, laws were passed which gave victims basic rights and created local agencies with special services designed to help crime victims’ deal with the physical, emotional and financial injuries of crime and to improve the criminal justice system’s treatment of victims.

The San Luis Obispo County Victim Witness Assistance Program is one of the special programs designed to reduce the trauma and insensitive treatment victims and witnesses may experience following a crime. Since 1977, we have been committed to helping crime victims and their families reorganize and reclaim their lives. To help empower victims, we inform victims of their legal rights and how to exercise those rights. And to help reduce the trauma and suffering following the crime, we offer a wide variety of special crisis and support services to victims, including linking them with other local and state services. For District Attorney Witnesses, we confirm court appearances, relay updates on cases and otherwise assist witnesses with their appearances in court to help reduce inconvenience and frustration.

Through close partnerships with law enforcement and other community agencies and groups, we reach thousands of new victims and witnesses each year.

This website was designed to provide another vehicle by which to reach crime victims and witnesses.